I Promise
by Neutrina
Summary: CS romancenothing else I can say. Don't own characters, wish I did. Ch. 4 up
1. Default Chapter

All Sara could think about was the screaming. She stared at the picture on her desk, glad that it, at least, couldn't tell her off. At the sound of approaching footsteps, she quickly hid the picture inside her drawer. "Sara, get your butt out here!"

Sara winced. The voice she loved more than any other was the one screaming at her. "I can't believe you didn't show up at the courtroom yesterday! You are seriously compromising this case and everything that CSI stands for!" The screaming went on, but Sara ignored the words, choosing instead to concentrate on the voice she loved. Her mind went to the picture hidden in her desk. She wanted to pull it out, but she knew Catherine would kill her if she saw it; she didn't like reminders of her past. "Sara!"

Sara was pulled out of her daze to find Catherine staring at her. "Are you alright?" She sounded concerned. "Yeah." Sara tried to sound neutral, but some of the turmoil inside slipped out. "I'm fine." Of course, she wasn't fine. In addition to being lovesick for the one person in the lab that wasn't constantly flirting with her, she was being hurt by the same person. Catherine gave her a skeptical look that nearly made Sara want to confess. "Look, I'm just tired. I'll be fine."

Catherine looked like she wanted to say something else, but Grissom walked in. "Time to clean out your desks!" Catherine rolled her eyes. Sara, thinking he was joking, told Grissom to get lost. Unfortunately for Sara, Grissom wasn't joking. Evidently, she was the only one not to have cleaned her desk, "Why the do I need to clean out my desk?" she inquired politely of Grissom. "I don't know, but it makes the story work." Grissom replied wisely. Grumbling, Sara got to work. Grissom walked out, satisfied that Sara had gotten to work. She saved the top drawer for last, but Catherine wasn't leaving. She acted like she was taking a break, but she knew she couldn't do that forever. Finally, Catherine asked, "Ok, I know you're hiding something in there. Spill." Sara shook her head. Then she walked out.

Finally, Catherine made up her mind, and went looking for Sara. She was crying in the locker room. Catherine hesitantly put her hand on Sara's shoulder. Sara slowly turned around. "You want to know why I wasn't in court yesterday, right?" Catherine was shocked. "I just wanted to make sure you're ok." Sara was touched. "I hate these domestic abuse cases." She grumbled. "So don't we all, Sara." Sara decided it was time to tell Catherine why they affected her so much. "It's amazing the things we remember. I don't even remember the girl's name, but I was gripping her hand like it was a lifeline. My parents had the most dramatic fights. I thought it was how everyone lived. When my mother killed my father, I found out that it wasn't." Catherine was horrified. She didn't even know what to say, a first for her.

Later that day, Sara found a note on her desk, written in a neat, efficient handwriting.

My dearest Sara,

I wish I could tell you this face to face, but I'm not brave enough. Ever since I met you I have been in love with you. Even when I am nasty to you, you trust me. I don't deserve your trust; you're to good for me. Your smile lights up the room, and your eyes are like bottomless pools. You are beautiful, kind, intelligent, and witty. And brave. You are the bravest person I know.

Love,

The signature had been erased. Sara had no idea who it was, but it came with a locket that looked vaguely familiar. She opened it up. Inside was her picture.

When Catherine got to work the next day, she found a bunch of roses on her desk. Grissom smiled at her. "Did you send them?" Grissom shook his head. "I think it might have been Sara." Catherine tried to make sense of it. "Sara is in love with me. Sara Sidle, who everyone knows is in love with _Grissom _is in love with me." She was so confused. She went back to Sara's desk. "What were you hiding in the drawer?" With a shaking hand, Sara pulled out the picture. "Well. That explains a lot". "Excuse me? Like what?" Sara asked, then cursed herself for sounding rude. "Oh, maybe how you stare at me every chance you get." Sara blushed. "Sara blushing, that is something I never thought I'd see in this lifetime." Sara just blushed harder. Catherine crossed the room, then sat down next to Sara. Sara had just opened her mouth to utter some halfhearted explanation, when Catherine kissed her. Grissom walked by, but they didn't care. The two were in their own world. "I need you." Whispered Catherine. "Promise you won't leave." "I promise."


	2. Rex

A/N: Thanks to the people who reviewed, I wouldn't be continuing this without you. I'm sorry it's so short… Now, without further ado, I give you, CHAPTER TWO. Yay

Catherine had never trusted easily. Now, after Eddie, she almost never trusted. Grissom was about the only person she could open up to, because he had seen through her mask. And then there was Sara.

Trusting Sara was the bravest thing Catherine had ever done. Sara could hurt her worse than anyone, because Sara had the one thing that wouldn't heal. Sara held her heart. And she could stomp on it at any time. Catherine tried not to trust anyone, but trusting Sara was like breathing; she couldn't help it.

Then came a case about a serial killer who seemed to be targeting women much like Sara. To find out information, she needed to pose as a girlfriend.

At first, Catherine was willing to believe that it was an act. But when she met Rex, things changed. Rex was the kind of guy Catherine had seen girls obsess over in high school. The same kind of guy that she had hated at the strip clubs, the overly possessive macho creeps who thought that just because she stripped, she was theirs. And here was Sara, "pretending" to go out with him.

It hurt so much that Catherine thought she was going to break with the pain. Watching this guy pawing Sara was the worst thing she had ever gone through. And worst of all, Sara didn't complain. So Catherine shut down.


	3. Phone Call

A/N: Sorry it's so short. Please review! I need people to tell me if I should continue this.

Sara finally got home, after an excruciating hour with Rex. Honestly! This guy didn't get the word 'no'. He was like a broken record… "Hey baby! Wanna go to my place? Hey baby! Wanna go to my place? Hey baby…" Ugh. She forced herself to relax. She picked up the phone.

"Hey, Cat?"

"Yeah" Catherine sounded so guarded. "What is it?"

"Cat it's me, it's Sara. What's wrong?" Sara crossed her fingers, hoping Catherine wasn't mad at her.

"Nothing. Don't you have a date or something?" Sara's eyes got wide.

"Rex?" she winced at the name

"Is there anyone else?" asked Catherine scathingly

"You." Whispered Sara. Suddenly, she got it.

"You know that I hate Rex, right?" Apparently not, as she could hear the sigh of relief on the other end.

"Cat? You're coming over. Now." Sara commanded.


	4. Love

Dedication: LLL, who is my inspiration when writing about love.

Five minutes later, Sara heard a knock at the door. There was Catherine. Even though her eyes were red from crying, Sara thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world. She felt her heart skip a beat, and she felt dizzy just looking at Catherine. "Come on in" she managed to get out.

Catherine walked in. The first thing she saw was a smiling picture of her and Sara holding hands. A tear leaked out of her eye. "Tell me about Rex."

"Rex. Noun, meaning king. A supreme jerk."

"That you're dating"

"Not by choice. Grissom's going to make Sophia pretend to date him next."

Suddenly a horrible thought occurred to her. "You thought I was enjoying it."

"Can you blame me? Watching that guy paw you was the worst thing I've ever had to go through."

"Cat…do you remember what I said to you? You said you needed me and asked me to promise I wouldn't leave. I promised."

"So I'm just an obligation?"

"You are the sole occupant of my heart and mind, my reason for getting up in the morning, my inspiration, and my favorite person in the whole world.

By now, Catherine was crying. "I love you, too. And I trust you." The raw look on her face said it all.

"Cat, I'm not Eddie. I'm not going to hurt the most wonderful person I've ever met. I love you."

Catherine was smiling through her tears. Sara pulled her into a tight embrace. "Sara? I love you, too."


End file.
